ArtCore is a new arts education program to be implemented in five Lane County Schools, through a partnership between the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC), Lane Arts Council, the Springfield Public Schools and others. Ross Anderson, Senior Lead Researcher at EPIC, and Liora Sponko, executive director of Lane Arts Council, speak with Eric Alan about the $2.2 million program.

Oregon's public high school on-time graduation rates went up 3.3 percent in 2014 from the previous year. Eugene's 4J school district reports an 8 percent boost in the statewide survey released Thursday.

The state has changed the way it calculates graduation rates which may account for some of the improvement. Kerry Delf with Eugene 4J says the district also made progress in closing the achievement gap:

Eugene 4j teachers ratified a tentative three-year contract Monday night. It now goes to the 4j School Board for final approval. Mary Walston, a past board chair and bargaining team member, says the Board will vote on the contract at its October 15th meeting:

Walston: "It includes a modest increase for staff in terms of cost-of-living and step increases. They'll be some health benefit increases in the second and third year."

September 19, 2014 City Club of Eugene airs Monday, September 22, 2014 on KLCC.

Moving Oregon education forward requires both short- and long-term planning. Superintendent Berman will discuss some strategies that have the potential for helping along that forward movement. He will address their alignment with statewide strategic education initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced assessments.

This summer in Oregon, education leaders brought together teaching professors and school officials to improve teacher training. The June institute followed a national report, critical of training programs. And new teachers will soon be asked to pass a new standardized test. Think of it as a Common Core for teachers in training.

The National Council on Teacher Quality recently blasted teacher preparation programs across the country - including those in Oregon.

A new Oregon law requires all students under the age of seven to complete a vision screening before entering into a new school.

Springfield school district is looking at enrolling between 800 and 1000 new kindergarteners in a little more than a month. According to spokesperson Devon Ashbridge, they will all have to go through a vision screening.

Dr. Nancy Golden, the former superintendent of the Springfield School District and now Chief Education Officer, will explain how Governor Kitzhaber’s education plan (referred to as 40-40-20-plan) will impact student achievement in Oregon.

The Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) is dedicated to building a student-centric system that links all segments of the educational experience together to ensure each student is poised for a promising future.

Oregon State University is poised to launch its first Massive, Open Online Course, or MOOC. The popularity of the free and credit-less classes have risen in recent years.

The eight-week course is called "Supporting English Language Learners under New Standards." It's targeted to K-12 educators. OSU Assistant Professor Karen Thompson says the course is designed to help implement the new Common Core Standards States are required to adopt. She says it's doubtful MOOC's will replace or threaten traditional education.